Overview
Austin counsels strategic clients, private equity funds, and their portfolio companies in executing merger and acquisition strategies and has extensive experience advising clients in connection with domestic and cross-border acquisitions and dispositions. Austin focuses his practice on transactions in the private middle-market. He also serves as trusted counsel to in-house legal teams and business principals on day-to-day governance and contracting issues.
Austin’s experience covers a breadth of industries and client types. Austin regularly advises clients in regulated industries on their investment and M&A strategies. This includes a significant number of engagements advising buyers and sellers in mortgage-industry transactions.
Austin represents investors and strategic buyers in alternative investments in the legal industry. He has experience evaluating and executing a variety of investment structures in the legal space including alternative business structures and managed service organization (MSO).
Austin represents NCAA athletes on a pro-bono basis in their NIL and revenue share agreements. He provides advice to universities and their athletic departments in connection with alternative revenue streams and private investment opportunities.
Experience
- Represented private equity funds in multiple acquisitions and disposition transactions across industries including manufacturing, food processing, and consumer products.
- Represented private equity portfolio companies in multiple add-on acquisition and strategic dispositions.
- Represented EU-based manufacturer of handheld power equipment in first US acquisition.
- Represented private equity fund in acquisition of growing casual restaurant chain and subsequent add-on acquisitions.
- Represented publicly traded mortgage servicer in acquisition of reverse mortgage servicing platform.
- Represented publicly traded lending business in multiple acquisitions and dispositions along with day-to-day corporate governance and contracting matters.
- Represented Western European-based consumer business in acquisition of multi-jurisdiction e-commerce platform.
- Represented a major US defense contractor in multiple strategic acquisitions and dispositions of key business and technology assets.
- Represented multinational oil and gas business in dispositions and participations in joint ventures in mid-stream industry.
- Represented private-equity owned, leading global component manufacturer in multiple acquisitions in the US, Europe, and Africa.
- Represented publicly traded building supply company in multiple acquisitions.
- Represented UK publicly traded conglomerate in acquisition of US-based energy services business.
- Ongoing representation of multiple private equity fund portfolio companies in corporate governance and commercial contracting matters.
- Represented private equity backed portfolio company in multiple acquisitions in mortgage origination and student loan industries.
- Represented publicly traded building supply company in “go-private” transaction.
Accolades
Honors & Recognitions
- Recommended in M&A: Middle Market ($500m-999m), Legal 500 United States, 2024-2025
- Recognized with an Emerging Leaders Award, The M&A Advisor, 2024
- Recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for Corporate and M&A Law (2022, 2024-2025) and Securities/Capital Markets Law (2024-2025)
Affiliations
Professional
- American Bar Association
Insights
Legal Updates
Events & Speaking Engagements
Publications
News
Education
JD, Duke University School of Law, 2014
BA, University of North Carolina, 2011
Admissions
Virginia
Areas of Focus
Additional Service Areas

Updates on the broader M&A market and issues particular to transactions in the mortgage servicing and origination industry.

The firm represented Chimera Investment Corporation in the closing of its previously announced acquisition of HomeXpress Mortgage Corp. from certain affiliates of Seer Capital Management and certain management sellers.

M&A activity was strong in 2025, driven by many of the tailwinds identified in our 2025 M&A Outlook. Both North American and global M&A experienced their second-best years on record, continuing a rebound that started in 2024.

As the higher education sector undergoes rapid transformation, higher education institutions are increasingly considering mergers and acquisitions as strategic options.



